We left Astana, filling up both the bikes and our stomachs on the outskirts of town at a roadside cafe.

My route has us leaving Astana on the highway for about 35 km (20 miles) before turning off the begin the dirt trail, that went past some sort of small military base. Looked like an air defence battery for Astana.

We had done no more than a mile or two on the dirt when we came to our first challenge ... Water

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I had gone along to one of Prutser and Beemster's weekend offroad training rides - partly to have some fun, and partly to see how Beemster was riding. I guess its a natural prejudice we guys have ... if a girl is coming along on an offroad ride, you want to check out her riding to make sure she wont slow the project down at all. Well I totally needn't have worried. Beemster was throwing her X-Country around the tight trials / motocross track with speed and grace. I am not used to tight riding, so I could barely keep up on a borrowed X-Challenge. I told Beemster (who also seemed concerned not to hold back the testosterone fuelled guys on this ride) that she is going to be fine. She wont hold us back at all.

There were only two questions the varied motorcross track didnt allow Prutser and Beemster to practice ... the high speed riding, and water crossings.

Here Beemster confessed .... she was absolutely petrified of water crossings.!

And on the first few miles on the dirt, on the first day of the ride for her ... we had a BIG water crossing.

For all of the new guys, Rod, Prutser and Beemster ... this was the ultimate way to say "Welcome to the Sibirsky Extreme Trail" ...

Just found this ride report today. In 5 hrs have read the whole thing. Awesome!!! Its full winter here in Canada so there is lots of time to read your ride report and plan and prep for next year's trip. Your RR of the Russian Stepps has reminded me of growing up on the Great Canadian Plains. Similar terrain and wide open spaces.
I can't wait for the next installment.
Regards....just jeff

And soon heard the familiar burbling sound of the exhaust being underwater

But slowly made my way across. The water had a lot of uneven depths and it turned out the only safe route across was a complicated zigzag route trying to stay on sandbanks that would keep the depth kinda possible.

Halfway across I stopped my bike to return and start showing the others my recommended route.

That was a BIG mistake ... Never shut your bike off when in the water .....

Great RR guys, I'm loving it. Rod, I reckon you're bang on with the doubts about the early 690s. I had an 07 690SM (the ugly ones) and while it was great fun when it was going I had endless issues with it. In the end I lost all faith in it and sold it on (and have been bikeless since ).

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Hi Jurassic.I've PM-ed you for a little more detail. ....and they're all ugly, that's why I made mine purty!

BTW, I noticed you are using the Traverse Jacket. Are the pants Traverse or Dakar? So far that jacket is optimal (almost perfect) for my riding -commuting and ocassional off road here in Central America where humidity is one issue; showers and 30+ temperatures a free offer . How did you like the jacket? Would you recommend the extra money for the pants?

BTW, I noticed you are using the Traverse Jacket. Are the pants Traverse or Dakar? So far that jacket is optimal (almost perfect) for my riding -commuting and ocassional off road here in Central America where humidity is one issue; showers and 30+ temperatures a free offer . How did you like the jacket? Would you recommend the extra money for the pants?

Cheers

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For this trip the jacket was a bit too warm, so I think some more vents would have been nice.
The pants is Traverse as well. No complaints...
Except after rivercrossings the water stayed beween the lining and the outher layer.
Which made my pants heavy and pulled down...

Here Beemster confessed .... she was absolutely petrified of water crossings.!

And on the first few miles on the dirt, on the first day of the ride for her ... we had a BIG water crossing.

Click to expand...

I still had to get into adventure mode after being stuck in the hotel for 5 days when Walter drove towards this big shiny lake. He stopped and I thought he wanted to take a picture but all of a suddon he walked right in! What the f#@*??? I asked Walter what he was doing. Well we are gonna cross this river he said. I said this is not a river, this is a lake! I really thought he made a joke but a few minutes later I knew that he wasn&#8217;t...

This all looked very challenging to me because I started offroad riding only one year ago. I started playing in sand, riding tight trials and motocross tracks, and I loved it! But river crossings... There are almost no possibilities to practise that in Holland.

While I was watching the guys for a few minutes walking around in the water, I was wondering how I could persuade them that this was insane. But 4 guys, 1 girl, I knew I couldn&#8217;t win... So I also walked in, trying to find a route to the other side. Walter was already in the water with his bike. He was halfway and I thought it did not look good seeing his bike sink that deep! How the \*#@* am I gonna do this???

I love this picture! The level headed gal and her bike thinking, "this doesn't seem like a good idea..." and the four brash guys already half way across walking/riding/pushing the bikes. We don't think; we just do. Sometimes it lands us in a bit of hot (cold?) water

For this trip the jacket was a bit too warm, so I think some more vents would have been nice.
The pants is Traverse as well. No complaints...
Except after rivercrossings the water stayed beween the lining and the outher layer.
Which made my pants heavy and pulled down...